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Mickelson to skip Match Play Championship

The Associated Press

Posted:
02/07/2013 05:38:37 PM MST

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.—Phil Mickelson plans to miss the Match Play Championship for the third time in the past four years.

Mickelson, coming off a wire-to-wire win in the Phoenix Open, said Thursday his three kids are out of school the week of the Match Play Championship and he will be going on a family trip. He also missed in 2010 and 2012.

The tournament is Feb. 20-24 just north of Tucson, Ariz.

Mickelson has made it to the quarterfinals of the Match Play only once in 11 appearances, in 2004 at La Costa. He says he loves the tournament and Tucson, where he won his first PGA Tour event while he was at Arizona State.

That means the 65th player in the world ranking after this week will be eligible to play.